Return of Pucca Houses
The Union government granted over 6.5 lakh pucca houses to Odisha between 2016 and 2024, but these have been returned. Panchayati Raj Minister Rabi Narayan Naik revealed this in the Odisha Assembly on Tuesday, responding to a question from MLA Manas Dutta.
Reasons for Return
The previous BJD government failed to provide a list of eligible beneficiaries, leading to the return of the granted houses. Minister Naik detailed that out of the 42,18,364 houses granted to Odisha, 36,57,847 have been completed since 2014. Currently, 5,27,604 houses are under construction, while 32,913 houses have not yet started. Additionally, 1,26,719 families have applied for these houses.
Illegal Constructions Across Odisha
Urban and Housing Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mohapatra reported that there are 719 illegal apartments and constructions across Odisha, with Bhubaneswar accounting for the majority of violations. This information was shared in response to a question from Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati.
Bhubaneswar’s Construction Violations
Out of the 719 illegal structures, 689 cases have been reported within the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) limits. Despite legal provisions under sections 90, 91, and 92 of the Odisha Development Authorities Act 1982, a formal assessment of these illegal constructions has not been conducted. Orders were previously issued to demolish around 200 illegal constructions in Bhubaneswar, but these have largely remained unenforced.
Exploiting Legal Loopholes
Several individuals and institutions have managed to regularize these illegal constructions by exploiting loopholes in the law, highlighting a significant enforcement issue. The lack of action against these violations, despite stringent norms, has emerged as a major concern.
The issues of returned pucca houses and rampant illegal constructions reflect significant administrative challenges in Odisha. The failure to provide beneficiary lists for housing grants and the inability to enforce demolition orders for illegal constructions underscore the need for more robust governance and enforcement mechanisms. These revelations call for immediate attention to streamline processes and ensure adherence to legal and regulatory frameworks.
(With inputs from agencies)
